Interesting read

[Blaithin]

Yes, ancient civilizations are mind boggling with some of the things they accomplished. Even the idea of grinding grains with stones is more work than I would want to try and pick away at Lol

That said, did you know hunter gatherer societies typically spend on average 15-20 hours a week collecting food, and maybe 30-40 hours total on food gathering and other "chores".

We have this image in our minds of being slaves to survival, but in reality people nowadays are much bigger workaholics and slaves to the bank than a hunter gather ever would be. They have a life of leisure in comparison.

Ah the time we trade just to have material things.

[shtferbrains]

I know people still mostly living that and proud of it.

One guy explained it as going when he was young to work underground hardrock mining for a few yrs till he decided to go back home to live remotely out on the river.
Very smart guy. Also seen a lot of the world.
Always enjoy a visit.
Rich in ways many would envy.

[WiltonRanch]

The Rise and fall of the Safavid empire in present day Iran is a classic example of what a well run meritocratic government and bureaucracy can achieve in building a formidable presence when being the odd man out in the Islamic world. The eventual decline and fall came from gradually abandoning this system. Didn’t help that the sultan put court eunuchs in charge of the heirs neither.